ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 69408
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| Date: | Saturday 29 June 1940 |
| Time: | morning |
| Type: |  Bristol Blenheim Mk I |
| Owner/operator: | 113 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | L8522 |
| MSN: | VA-T |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Mediterranean Sea off Tobruk -
 Libya
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | LG-017, Fuka Aerodrome, Sidi Haneish, Egypt |
| LG-017, Fuka Aerodrome, Sidi Haneish, Egypt |
Bristol Blenheim Mk.I L8522 (VA-T) 113 Squadron, RAF: Written off (destroyed) when lost (Failed To Return) from combat operations over Libya. All three crew killed. According to the official Air Ministry file into the incident (File AIR 81/1000): "Blenheim L8522 crashed near Tobruk, Libya, 29 June 1940. Sergeant R H Knott, Sergeant J D Barber and Leading Aircraftman J P Toner: missing presumed dead"
At sunrise on 29 June 1940 nine Blenheims of 113 Squadron bombed the airfield of Tobruk. Three CR.32s of 93a Squadriglia, 8 Gruppo, 2 Stormo C.T. and three CR.42s of 77a Squadriglia, 13 Gruppo, 2 Stormo C.T. scrambled under the falling bombs to intercept them. Three of the six Blenheims were shot down (Failed To Return) - L8436, L8447, and L8522. Of the nine crew (three per aircraft) six were killed, and three taken as PoWs.
In the last week of June 1940, the pilots of the Aeronautica della Libia 2° Stormo report having shot down six Royal Air Force (RAF) Blenheim bombers, losing one CR.42 when Second Lieutenant Gianmario Zuccarini was forced to make a forced landing. The British admit the loss of two Blenheims near Tobruk (L5850 and L8522), lost on 21 and 29 June along with their crews (Sergeant B. T. M. Baker, Corporal W. C. Royle, Leading Aircraftman A. F. Crohill and Flight Lieutenant J. B. W. Smith in the first aircraft and Sergeant R. H. Knott, Sergeant J. D. Barber and Leading Aircraftman J. P. Toner in the second aircraft).
THE FOLLOWING IS AN EXCERPT GIVING THE ITALIAN PERSPECTIVE: "....At sunrise on 29 June nine Blenheims bombed the airfield of Tobruk. Three CR.32s of 93a Squadriglia, 8o Gruppo, 2o Stormo C.T. and three CR.42s of 77a Squadriglia, 13o Gruppo, 2o Stormo C.T. scrambled under the falling bombs to intercept them. Tenente Giulio Torresi of 77a Squadriglia reached the bombers at six-o'-clock and attacked the last Blenheim which, after three strafes, caught fire and fell. Then, avoiding defensive fire, he attacked another bomber and shot it down. Sottotenente Gian Mario Zuccarini of 93 Squadriglia and Sergente Maggiore Fausti shared a third Blenheim and then, following the formation out over the open sea, they claimed another two, one each. Another Blenheim was shared by the other pilots, which damaged two more. It seems that they have been involved in combat with Blenheims from 113 Squadron, which lost three aircraft. L8436 flown by Pilot Officer Pike was damaged by flak and ditched. L8447 flown by 31-year-old Flying Officer Walter Ronald Price Knight Mason (RAF no. 70450) was shot down in flames by fighters and at least the pilot was killed. L8522 flown by 27-year-old Flight Sergeant Ralph Harry Knott (RAF no. 590277 was also shot down in flames by enemy fighters and at least the pilot was killed.
Torresi, Zuccarini (who was wounded in a leg) and Fausti were all awarded with the Medaglia d'argento al valore militare after this combat."
Crew of Blenheim L8522:
Flight Sergeant Ralph Harry Knott (Pilot), RAF 590277, age 27, posted 29/06/1940, as missing, presumed killed
Sergeant James Douglas Barber, (Observer) RAFVR 745841, age 22, posted 29/06/1940, as missing, presumed killed
Leading Aircraftman James P. Toner (Wireless Op./Air Gunner), RAF 610188, posted 29/06/1940, as missing, presumed killed
As all three crew were never found, they are commemorated on the El Alamein Memorial in Egypt
Sources:
1. Royal Air Force Aircraft L1000-L9999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1978 p 58)
2. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 81/1000: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14502585
3. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1810474/knott,-ralph-harry/
4. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1535827/barber,-james-douglas/
5. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1282819/toner,-james-patrick/
6. http://www.epibreren.com/ww2/raf/113_squadron.html#2406
7. http://113squadron.com/id21.htm
8. http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/italy_zuccarini.htm
9. https://world-war-2.wikia.org/wiki/Operation_Compass
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2009 12:11 | JINX | Added |
| 27-Nov-2014 15:13 | Juan P.Paco | Updated [Operator, Narrative] |
| 09-Oct-2018 17:21 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
| 04-Oct-2019 17:35 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Cn, Operator, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 08-Oct-2019 11:08 | Juan P.Paco | Updated [Operator] |
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